Hopedale organization sponsors bike class for children with disabilities

UPTON - Lisa Bernat's 9-year-old son, William Rosenfeld, crashed into her wide-open arms while riding a bicycle Thursday at Nipmuc Regional High School.

It was the first time he ever rode a two-wheeled bike by himself, Bernat said. She recalled the failed attempts at trying to teach her son, diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, how to ride. The previous attempts left him bruised, scared and anxious.

"I’m so proud of you," she told her son, as tears welled up in her eyes.

William, a Hopedale resident, was one of 25 children attending a weeklong program, iCan Bike, designed to help teach children with disabilities -ranging from autism to Down syndrome - how to independently ride a bicycle.

The camp is the flagship program of iCan Shine, a national nonprofit organization. The event was sponsored by the Friends of the Hopedale Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC).

Bernat said the last time she tried to teach William to ride a bicycle, he took a hard fall and didn’t have the courage to try again.

But on Thursday, William was cruising around the parking lot at Nipmuc, displaying confidence Bernat said she has rarely seen in her son.

"It’s the best feeling ever," Bernat said.

Westborough resident Jamie Boss watched her 10-year-old son, Sam, who has autism, ride a two-wheeled bike for the second time.

On Wednesday, Boss said her husband went with their son to the program and videoed Sam’s first solo bike ride.

"When I saw the video, I balled my eyes out," she said.

Boss said she and her husband tried to teach Sam to ride when he was younger, but he didn’t seem interested.

On Thursday, Sam came to a skidding stop in front of his mother and other program volunteers exhibiting poise and not a hint of fear about falling.

"It’s something I thought I’d never see," Boss said.

According to Volunteer Camp Director and SEPAC member Theresa Ehlrich, 24 of the 25 children attending the program were able to ride on two wheels by themselves as of Thursday. One still remains on a bike with a small roller for a back wheel, but that’s what they all started on, she said.

Ehlrich, of Hopedale, said she helped bring the program to the area after meeting Executive Director Lisa Ruby during the Best Buddies Ride last year, in which her daughter rode.

Her daughter, diagnosed with global developmental delays, learned to ride by herself last year at a program in Arlington for 10-year-olds, she said.

"I said, ‘I really want to do this for our area.’"

The family now uses the Upper Charles Trail at least twice a week, and sometimes travels to New Hampshire to bike with the whole family.

Page 2 of 2 - She said the program gives everyone a chance to learn.

"It opens up some doors for kids who no longer have to watch from their window," Ehlrich said.

Zachary Comeau can be reached at 508-634-7556 and zcomeau@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZComeau_MDN.